Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26262 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-05-06
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Full Screen, Live, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 53 minutes

Amazon.com
Overshadowed in rock history by the Moody Blues' Days of Future Passed and the symphonic rock of Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra is an event that shouldn't be forgotten. Composed by keyboardist Jon Lord, this three-movement concerto begins as an antagonistic contest between Deep Purple and the 80-piece Royal Philharmonic, under the mediating baton of conductor Malcolm Arnold. The second movement finds group and orchestra coming to terms with each other, while the third unites them into an integrated whole. Everybody's evidently mystified when guitarist Richie Blackmore hijacks the first movement with an amazing but unexpectedly extended solo, and it's obvious that some of the tuxedoed players aren't too keen about sharing Royal Albert Hall with long-haired rockers. Still, this remains one of the most remarkable efforts to meld "the best of both worlds," and Lord's jovial commentary track guides the viewer/listener through all the musical hazards and highlights. Originally recorded for British television and superbly remastered for DVD (in Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby 5.1-channel Surround, or DTS Surround), this premier performance is a must-have for Deep Purple fans, and the casually curious will also be richly rewarded. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Misrepresented Time and Content
When I bought this dvd I thought it was a complete concert.
Instead the whole dvd was only 52 min I have the concerto on cd
since 1998 when I Played this dvd they made cuts in the 1st movement and some of the drum solo in the 3rd movement There were NO CUTS in my cd. So this dvd is NOT 175 min as it says wait and hopefully there will be a reissue of the COMPLETE Concerto with no cuts and whatever there was with it. also I checked out the
newer cd version looked at some reviews and yep! there were cuts on that version will continue to listen to MY copy of the cd which is now out of print.

On DVD, at last
I was starting my radio broadcasting career back in 1969. I was still a teenager at the time and was not a classical music fan, yet! When I first heard the Concerto on vinyl for the first time, I knew I had to have it and I eventually bought the CD when it became available. When Deep Purple came out with the 1999 Concerto at the Royal Albert Hall, I was very excited. What a concert! Steve Morse does a remarquable job. And then, the big surprise. The original concert on DVD!!! Goodness, can this be? Yes it's true and it's good. The sound is awsome considering the whole thing was recorded back in 1969. I give it 4 stars out of 5 because of the camera shots. The switcher was not familiar with the music because when Ritchie plays solo, the camera stays too long on somebody else.
Still a must have.

BEAUTIFUL!
Beautiful! THIS DVD release really made me do a 'double take'. For years & years of collecting LPs & older music on CDs I've SEEN the old "Concerto for Group & Orchestra" several times for [re]sale. I was SO surprised to find out that the "event" was even taped for TV!! I didn't even hesitate to get one! I just finished watching it tonight and I can't believe what I just saw. Ok, the "experimental approach" to Jon & Malcolm's performance isn't for the 'masses', but I would LOVE to read a review of THIS show by one of the 'thousands of people' who was THERE [in Albert Hall] that evening! I like D.P., right along side many other great bands that came out of the UK [circa 60s & 70s] which was STILL in MY opinion 'their BEST time'!
I don't care if this show HAS been 'shortened' for DVD [I don't think the other reviewer got his facts straight actually -- "175 minutes"?? THAT'S ACTUALLY 2 hours & 55 minutes man! C'mon!!] "52 minutes" for THIS SHOW sounds more "realistic". THe original LP release was the same! [Most LPs could only FIT around 20 minutes per side -- if anyone remembers LPs -- heh heh] Anyway, again, it's SO NICE to see these "original vintage" performances re-issued for today's viewing!